13 DEEP BREATH: THE LUNGS AND BREATHING Flashcards
How many times do you breathe in and out each day?
About 20,000 times.
Approximately how many gallons of air do you process each day?
About 4,000 gallons.
How many breaths do you take between birthdays?
About 7.3 million breaths.
What is the estimated number of oxygen molecules exhaled in a single breath?
25 sextillion (2.5 x 10^22) molecules.
What anatomical term is used for nostrils?
Nares.
What is the purpose of the sinuses?
Their exact function is unclear, but they may help with breathing efficiency.
How many Americans suffer from sinusitis each year?
Thirty-five million.
True or False: Most sinus conditions are caused by bacteria.
False.
What happens to air when it enters the nose in cold weather?
It condenses and can cause a drip from the nose.
How many foreign particles does the average urban dweller inhale daily?
About twenty billion.
What are cilia?
Hairlike structures lining the bronchi that help trap invaders.
What is the formal name for the act of sneezing?
Sternutation.
How far can sneeze droplets travel?
Up to eight meters.
What muscle is primarily responsible for assisting lung function?
Diaphragm.
What is the pleural cavity?
The space around the lungs where air pressure is less than atmospheric pressure.
What causes the discomfort when holding your breath?
A buildup of carbon dioxide.
Fill in the blank: The longest recorded breath-hold is ______.
twenty-four minutes and three seconds.
How much air can human lungs hold?
About six quarts.
What is the estimated area of lung tissue in an average adult?
About a thousand square feet.
What disease is Marcel Proust known for suffering from?
Asthma.
What percentage of children in the UK have shown asthma symptoms?
30 percent.
What is the global prevalence of asthma among adults?
About 5 percent.
What is the relationship between asthma rates and air pollution in Guangzhou and Hong Kong?
Higher pollution in Guangzhou but lower asthma rates compared to cleaner Hong Kong.
What is one of the most significant challenges in understanding asthma?
The primary causes are not well understood.
What was the increase in asthma-related deaths among children in Great Britain from 1959 to 1966?
From 1 percent to 7.2 percent.
True or False: Most common asthma triggers are also its primary causes.
False.
Who is one of the world’s leading authorities on the spread of asthma?
Pearce
Pearce is originally from New Zealand and has had a significant impact on asthma research.
What illness did Pearce contract in his early twenties that affected his education?
Brucellosis
Brucellosis is a bacterial infection that can cause flu-like symptoms.
What job did Pearce hold before becoming a biostatistician?
Bus driver and factory worker
Pearce worked in these roles for two years after giving up on higher education.
What inhaled drug was linked to an outbreak of unexplained deaths among young asthmatics?
Fenoterol
Fenoterol is not related to the opioid fentanyl.
What was the traditional belief about asthma’s cause before the 1950s and 60s?
Asthma was considered a neurological disease
This belief was later challenged by evidence suggesting allergic reactions play a role.
What percentage of asthma cases in the world involve allergies?
50%
The other 50% are due to nonallergic mechanisms, which are not yet fully understood.
What can trigger an asthma attack aside from allergens?
Cold air, stress, exercise
These factors can trigger asthma irrespective of allergens.
True or False: Asthma is always present and detectable in lung function tests.
False
Asthma can be episodic, with normal lung function between attacks.
What is the primary treatment for mild asthma attacks?
Steroids
Steroids are effective for many, but not all, asthma sufferers.
What is the hygiene hypothesis related to asthma?
Early exposure to infectious agents strengthens resistance to asthma
This theory suggests that a lack of early infections may increase asthma risk.
At what age is asthma most commonly first diagnosed?
Thirteen
Many adults also experience asthma onset later in life.
What unusual discovery did Pearce make regarding early exposure to cats?
It seems to provide lifelong protection against asthma
Pearce humorously noted the irony of this finding.
Fill in the blank: Growing up on a ________ seems to protect against asthma.
farm
The reasons for this protective effect are not fully understood.
What lifestyle change has been suggested to contribute to increased asthma rates in children?
Less outdoor play
Children now spend more time indoors, which may affect lung health.
What gut microbes were associated with asthma development in infants?
Lachnospira, Veillonella, Faecalibacterium, Rothia
Their absence was linked to higher asthma rates in a study.
What is the estimated increase in lung cancer cases in America between 1920 and 1950?
Tripled
This increase coincided with the rise in cigarette smoking.
How much more likely is a regular smoker to develop lung cancer compared to a nonsmoker?
Fifty times more likely
This statistic highlights the significant risk associated with smoking.
Who were the two researchers that published a paper linking smoking to lung cancer in 1950?
Richard Doll and A. Bradford Hill
Their findings were published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
What was the response of the tobacco industry to the smoking-cancer research?
They questioned the link and funded alternative research
The industry sought to disprove the connection between smoking and cancer.
What year did the U.S. surgeon general announce a link between smoking and lung cancer?
1964
This announcement had minimal immediate effect on smoking rates.
What percentage of Americans smoke today?
18%
Despite a decline, smoking remains a significant health issue.
What is a hiccup?
A sudden spasmodic contraction of the diaphragm
This contraction causes the characteristic ‘hic’ sound.
Fill in the blank: The world record for hiccups was held by Charles Osborne for ________ years.
sixty-eight
His hiccups began after an incident involving a heavy hog.
What common remedies are suggested for hiccups?
Startling, lemon, iced water, pulling on the tongue
These remedies are traditional and not scientifically proven.
